Two days until L’Étape du Tour

Key points:
· Pure, unadulterated cycling at the Village
· The ladies take the stage
· Skipper Tanguy de Lamotte navigates L’Étape
· Party time!
· L’Étape du Tour in short and in figures

Pure, unadulterated cycling at the village
The L’Étape du Tour Village will be open in Stade Philippe-Tissié, avenue Gaston Lacoste, on Friday, July 18 from 2 to 8 pm and on Saturday, July 19 from 9 am to 8 pm. Free entrance.

Like every year, the competitors and the people with them will get to visit about fifty stands —including the ASO Challenges area— and discover all the latest developments in the world of cycling.

A gourmet’s village with local produce such as foie gras, sheep milk cheese or Jurançon wine (ideal for savouring and sharing) will give visitors the opportunity to sample traditional South West France specialities.

The L’Étape du Tour village in short:
– Opening hours: Friday from 2 to 8 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm
– Location: Stade Philippe-Tissié, avenue Gaston Lacoste (Pau)
– Parking and start area: check out all the details on the website of L’Étape du Tour www.letapedutour.com/ET1/fr/depart.html

The ladies take the stage
With more and more women getting on their bikes for L’Étape du Tour, the tribute paid to the ladies’ courage and zeal will come as a surprise to no-one.

– Each woman who has signed up for L’Étape will receive a specially-designed La Course by Le Tour de France jersey, available from the ASO Challenges stand in the Village in Pau.
– Fabiana Luperini, Marieke van Wanroy, Ally Stacher, Sabrina Stultiens, Rochelle Gilmore and Valentina Scandolara are the six professional riders invited to grace L’Étape du Tour with their presence.
– UCI Women Cycling will be hosting a stand at the Village over the weekend, as part of a week dedicated to promoting ladies’ cycling.

Skipper Tanguy de Lamotte navigates L’Étape
Tanguy de Lamotte, eighth in last year’s Transat Jacques Vabre together with François Damiens, will be flying the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque (MCC) flag at L’Étape du Tour. This is the skipper’s way of showing his support for an association dedicated to helping children who suffer from heart defects and cannot be treated in their countries of origin due to a lack of financial and technical resources by bringing them to France to undergo surgery.

Party time!
Pau is hosting the start of L’Étape du Tour for the sixth time. Lots of sporting and cultural events will be organised throughout the weekend in the Béarn city, with the spotlight on street shows revolving around cycling. The atmosphere at Hautacam will be just as festive, this time with a focus on local produce.

Team Pyrénées jerseys will be handed out on Saturday at 6:30 pm, with the presidents of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées General Councils in attendance (podium coach in the L’Étape du Tour village).

The Etape du Tour 2014 in short and in figures
– 22nd edition (created in 1993)
– The only French amateur cycling race organised on roads entirely closed to traffic (in the same conditions as the Tour de France)
– Date: Sunday 20th July 2014
– Number of race numbers reserved: 13,000
– Distance: 148 km
– Start: Pau
– Start Village: Pau
– Start time for the first competitors to start: 7 AM
– Start time for the last competitors to start: 8.45 AM
– Major difficulties:
* Col du Tourmalet pass (17.1 km at an average gradient of 7.3%)
* The climb up to Hautacam (13.6 km at an average gradient of 7.8%)

– The pack will stretch over more than 50 km. When the first rider reaches Orincle (after 53 km), the last competitor will cross the start line
– Finishing line: Hautacam
– Finishing line Village: Lau-Balagnas
– Estimated finish time for the first to finish: 12.06 PM
– Estimated finish time for the last to finish: 6.45 PM

More information on www.letapedutour.com